Helldivers 2 dev shares plans for reducing 150GB file size on PC that is “roughly three times larger than consoles”

Arrowhead has shared their plans for decreasing the 150GB file measurement for Helldivers 2 on PC with the acknowledgement that it’s unacceptable at “roughly thrice bigger than consoles”. Whereas the file measurement gained’t be lowered within the next update confirmed for mid-October, it will likely be the start of efficiency enhancements in addition to the implementation of different fixes such because the return of Leviathans. Sadly, not every part could be mounted instantly by means of a silver bullet, however Arrowhead are engaged on options to scale back the PC file measurement as a lot as attainable.

Helldivers 2 dev shares plans for decreasing PC file measurement

Arrowhead has shared a brand new weblog publish to tell Helldivers about their plans for the sport. Whereas the final weblog publish was about teasing the subsequent replace for mid-October, this post is about decreasing the file measurement on PC which has been closely controversial.

Within the weblog publish, Arrowhead cite Helldivers 2 at 150GB on PC, which is “roughly three instances bigger than the identical recreation put in on consoles”. We already uncovered why the sport is a lot greater on PC in comparison with PS5 and Xbox, however Arrowhead themselves have confirmed that it’s as a result of “A lot of the info within the PC model of HELLDIVERS 2 is duplicated”.

As for why it’s duplicated, Arrowhead says it was achieved to “cut back loading instances”. It’s because duplicating property “is a recreation improvement approach that’s primarily used to optimize video games for older storage media, notably mechanical Onerous Disk Drives (HDDs) and optical discs like DVDs”.

Concerning how Arrowhead are planning to scale back the file measurement, up to now they’re nonetheless deciding on one of the best resolution. SSDs make the duplication technique redundant, however Arrowhead are usually not absolutely sure whether or not they need to abandon optimizing for HDDs as it’s listed within the system necessities and Arrowhead aren’t completely positive what number of HD2 gamers use HDDs, though the studio’s “greatest estimates put it at round 12%… however the knowledge could be very unreliable and depends on quite a lot of extrapolations”.

Whereas Arrowhead are nonetheless figuring out one of the best resolution, for the mid-October replace the sport is not going to develop because the studio has swept their “programs for unused property and apparent issues”. This empty house will instantly be crammed by the replace’s new content material, however a minimum of the sport’s file measurement gained’t develop.

As for past the mid-October patch, Arrowhead are “exploring taking among the worst offenders by way of duplication and de-duplicating them by placing them in ‘quite common property’ bundles which can all the time be loaded underneath set circumstances (eg- particular faction/biome)”. The price of that is that “loading instances will get a bit worse for gamers utilizing mechanical HDDs,” however “early testing exhibits” loading needs to be “lower than 30 seconds”. As well as, this resolution “can enhance the quantity of RAM utilized by the sport by loading ‘frequent’ knowledge that isn’t all the time wanted”.  

Lastly, regarding the long-term, Arrowhead are planning to “make enhancements to the engine which can guarantee [they] by no means waste RAM loading frequent knowledge that isn’t wanted”. All different options past this level are merely “speculative,” however the concept is to “apply some sort of compression to the sport knowledge and probably replicate among the de-duplication [done] on consoles”.

Arrowhead’s plans gained’t be carried out instantly come mid-October, however a minimum of we all know the developer is tough at work on decreasing the PC file measurement. We don’t know when it’ll occur and there’s all the time the chance points can happen, however proper now we a minimum of know Arrowhead’s concepts for decreasing duplicated property brought on by optimizing for HDDs.

For extra Helldivers 2, take a look at our information to the best warbonds ranked, together with the best stratagems and best throwables. We even have a information to the best weapons, and, in case you’re coming again to HD2 for the primary time in a protracted whereas, we’ve got a bunch of tips and tricks that can assist you get reaccustomed to the battlefield.